Hello everyone.. I hope someday to become a Network or system administrator, and if I get passed that, work as a security administrator, or work in cryptography. Anyway I wanted to know if knowing a language would help in this. I've been told to learn C or something simple like python. I know network admin's aren't programmers, but should still be able to put together a simple piece of code or two if they need something run. Any idea's what I should start with? I'm not looking to master any language, just be profiecient in it.

If you don't already know any language, I would suggest python as well. Its very easy to learn, makes it easy to learn other languages afterwards, and only needs an interpreter which is available on all major operating systems (making your code fairly portable). Other than that, as far as being a network admin goes, I would say learn bash scripting (or batch if you will be using windows servers) - while its not really programming, it will make it easy for you to automate everyday tasks and I'm sure you will spend quite a bit of time working in a shell environment so it will help there as well. Good luck!

If you've ever heard of Perl, then you'll know that it is usually the norm for Network Admins. Ask Kage, he's a network administrator and he codes Perl shizz all the time. Perl also happens to be high level, so it's not as bad as something like ASM. And on top of that, Perl happens to be my favorite programming language.

Anyway, I would suggest Python for OP as well. If he wants to understand the basic gist of any given code, he needs to learn a programming language that is easy to read and doesn't have random-ass symbols freaking everywhere (-ahem- Perl -ahem-). And as far as I know, Python has just as many libraries as Perl, and could help in the exact same way, without being confusing as hell.

Edit: Fixed BBCode

Last edited by centip3de on Fri Jul 27, 2012 6:09 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Programming today is a race between software engineers striving to build bigger and better idiot-proof programs, and the Universe trying to produce bigger and better idiots. So far, the Universe is winning. -Rick Cook

Perl's confusing as symbols aren't confusing once you get it down. Learning Perl first could teach him proper indentation and structure for coding as we all know python does not. Perl was designed to be a scripting language for Network Administrators. Python is just the language people use when they want to take the easiest route possible.. But meh, it's up to OP. Who ya gonna go with? Moderator, or someone who uses a cartoon tiger as their avatar.....

mShred wrote:Perl's confusing as symbols aren't confusing once you get it down.

Right, but the fact is that you have to get them down. With Python, there are no symbols (ish) to get down, so the learning is much faster and easier; thus, making it easier for someone who has little to no experience with programming.

mShred wrote:Learning Perl first could teach him proper indentation and structure for coding as we all know python does not.

As far as I know, Python is an indentation based language...

mShred wrote:Python is just the language people use when they want to take the easiest route possible..

If the easier route works, is pretty efficiant, and fits your needs, why would you do it the hard way? That's like building a game enigine in C vs ASM.

mShred wrote:But meh, it's up to OP. Who ya gonna go with? Moderator, or someone who uses a cartoon tiger as their avatar.....

Oh right, I forgot an eye is better than Hobbes.

Programming today is a race between software engineers striving to build bigger and better idiot-proof programs, and the Universe trying to produce bigger and better idiots. So far, the Universe is winning. -Rick Cook

Lol, I didn't mean to start a war here.. Well the thing is I just passed my A+ and Network+ certification, and I'm amping up my consumption of computer knowledge, so I was thinking that some sort of high programming language would aid me later in my career. You are right, I've seen Perl referenced many times on Job Apps. I'll take your advice, and learn some of both...Again i'm not looking to master the language, but just be proficient where I can schedule some simple tasks, write some code...and understand it. Thanks guys!